CU Buffs coach Dan Hawkins: 'I'm going to be here for a long time'

Colorado coach defends himself after rough 2-5 start

Dan Hawkins has been defensive for most of this season about the state of his program and the results his team has produced on the field. He switched to offense today.

In a 23-minute opening statement and 41-minute soliloquy at his weekly media luncheon, Hawkins sounded at times like a man trying to save his job, or, at least like a coach who is feeling the pressure to produce better results.

"That being said, I think we continue to work through it. Has it taken longer than we expected? Yeah, I`m not going to lie to you. It probably has. Have we made some mistakes along the way? Yep. I`ve made mistakes for 27 years.

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One day after many of his players held a players-only meeting, Hawkins spent more than an hour with media members at his weekly luncheon stating his case for why he believes he has the program on the right track, despite its 2-5 start, which has led to rancorous discord among CU fans.

It was a dramatic departure from previous press conferences this year. Hawkins demeanor with the media has been terse and annoyed at times dating back to spring practices in April.

CU Buffs Head Football Coach Dan Hawkins speaks to the media at his weekly press conference at the Dal Ward Center on the University of Colorado Boulder Campus on Tuesday October 27, 2009.
Photo by Paul Aiken

Tuesday he resembled the engaging and forthcoming coach who fans first got to know in 2006 and 2007.

His boss, Mike Bohn, praised the change in his head coach.

"There is no question the challenges that Dan faces in the management of the football program are significant," Bohn said. "And I know he recognizes he has room for improvement, room for adjustment, room for change. It`s been refreshing to watch him over the last several weeks embrace that."

Hawkins read several letters of support he and his staff have received in recent weeks, giving the event a fireside chat feel at times. He read from other prepared documents, including one defining a warrior.

At one point he shouted to starting quarterback Tyler Hansen, who was listening in the back of the room.

"To the fans that are frustrated, I would just say this guys, there is no conspiracy," Hawkins said. "...There`s no conspiracy. There`s no underhandedness. There`s no deceit going on. Tyler, have I been up front with you from the get go?"

Hansen answered, yes.

"There`s no subplot," Hawkins continued. "There`s not another shooter on the hill. We`re trying to work some things out. We are. We`re learning. We`re growing."

He said it has taken longer to win consistently than he believed it would when he was hired in December 2005 on the heels of former coach Gary Barnett taking the Buffs to four Big 12 championship games in five years. He also said he is committed to finishing the job he started.

"I know this, I`m up to the task," Hawkins said. "I know this, our coaches are up to the task. ... I`m going to be here for a long time, and we`re going to get this going. And it`s going to be done right."

The Camera asked Hawkins about the change in his approach and mood this week as he prepares for the annual homecoming game and a big recruiting weekend in which the program will host about a dozen prospects.

Hawkins has been so un-Dan Hawkins like in recent months, some in the media and even within the athletic department had been wondering if there was more to his summer health problems than he chose to divulge. Hawkins was hospitalized briefly in July with kidney stones.

"There is no change," Hawkins said of his demeanor. "I`ve done this before. I mean, you know how it goes. Just the ebb and flow of it. Just the ebb and the flow of life."

Hawkins also said Hansen will run the entire offense this week, including the 2-minute drill, which his son had been responsible for the previous two weeks.

The old Dan Hawkins was back at work on the practice field as well Tuesday. The fun returned to practice with offensive and defensive linemen concluding the evening workout attempting to catch kickoffs or make field goals to save their teammates from running.

Hawkins called on fans to support the team. He said those fans who are disappointed with the state of his program should call Bohn and find out what they can do to help turn things around. He said he hopes fans will fill Folsom Field on Saturday when Missouri comes to town. Officials said 9,000 tickets remain.

The Buffs have lost three straight to the Tigers, including a combined margin of defeat in the past two games of 113-10.

The fourth-year coach also offered some explanations for why his team is 2-5 in a season that began with players focused on meeting Hawkins` offseason challenge to win 10 games. At the top of the list was how many young players are still featured in the lineup four years into his tenure.

"I think it`s probably hard for the fans, I know its hard for me to think about in year four you`re young," Hawkins said. "Why is that is year four? Why are you young?

"I think it`s a combination of things really. I think it`s a combination of not having a bunch of seniors. I think we have 11 on our team right now. So having a little bit of carryover there. We`ve lost some guys along the way, and for a variety of reasons. ...I really feel strongly about what we`re doing and I think when you talk to the players, which I talked to a bunch of them again yesterday, I think they are very positive. I think they like what`s going on. I think they feel good about what`s going on. They`re frustrated about losing just like we are, but I don`t think anybody is disillusioned with the process."

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